Najwa Petersen escaped a sentence of life imprisonment for the murder of her famous musician husband Taliep, but was effectively jailed for 28 years on Wednesday.

Life imprisonment comprises 25 years, but the sentenced person gets no remission of sentence and has to serve the entire 25 years.

In Petersen's case, although she was given 28 years, she will qualify for parole, and will therefore serve less than 28 years.

Najwa gets 28 years in prison

Judge Siraj Desai said the murder was callous and that she had played an active role in it.

In the dock with Petersen were her hired hitmen, Abdoer Emjedi, Waheed Hassien and Jefferson Snyders, all hired by Petersen to carry out the contract killing.

The judge said Petersen had planned the killing in fine detail, even staging a fake robbery in which she was the victim, to give her hitmen access to the Petersen home.

He said Taliep was murdered in a savage manner in his own home.

Desai said Petersen had "doggedly persisted" in securing the death of her husband.

For his role in the killing, Emjedi was jailed for 24 years and Hassien for 25 years.

Snyders, who had been found guilty only of robbery, was effectively jailed for seven years.

Najwa and two hitmen were last year found guilty of killing Taliep in the couple's Cape Town home in December 2006.